Daniel EPPS (1595 – bef. 1637) was Alex’s 11th Great Grandfather, He is one of 4,096 in this generation of the Shaw line and one of 4,096 in the Miller line. (See his great grandson Thomas BROWNE for details of the double ancestors)

Daniel Epps was born in 1595 at Maidstone, Kent, England. He married Martha REED before 1622 in Wickford, Essex, England. Daniel died before 1637 in London, England.

Daniel was a Gentleman of Ipswich, proprietor, town officer, attorney for his cousin Joseph Cooke in a suit in 1658. He resided in London in 1621 when his wife received a bequest from her mother’s father, Thomas Cooke, yeoman of Pebmershe, Essex, England.

Martha Reade was born on 13 July 1602 at Wickford, Essex, England. She was the daughter of Col. Edmund READEand Elizabeth COOKE. After Daniel’s death, she married George Samuel Symonds in 1637. It was probably as wife of Symonds that the combined Epps-Symonds family emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Also in this extended family are Martha Read’s two sisters. Her sister Elizabeth was the wife of John Winthrop, Jr., the son of Governor Winthrop, and one of the founders of Ipswich. Martha died in 1662 at Ipswich, Mass.

This caused some confusion for Chute genealogists, who had trouble figuring out why Symonds would mention “son” James Chute in his will, thinking that either he had remarried a Symonds daughter after the death of Elizabeth, or that his mother, Rose, had re-married Symonds after the death of her second husband, Matthew Whipple. He did not, and she had not. By “son”, Symonds meant, “son-in-law.”

George Samuel Symonds (aka Samuel Symonds) was born on 9 Jun 1595 at Great Yeldam, Essex, England. His parents were Richard Symonds and Elizabeth Plumb. He first married Dorothy Harlakenden on 2 April 1617 at Great Yeldam, Essex, England. He became a deputy governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He married Martha Reade in 1637. After Martha died, he married Rebecca Swayne. George returned to England and died on 12 Oct 1678 at Earls Colne, Essex, England, at age 83. Other accounts state he died in Boston.

Dorothy Harlakenden was born in 1596 Earl’s Colne, Essex, England. She and George Samuel had 10 children between 1621 and 1635. Dorothy died around August 1636 in Toppesfield, Essex, England.

Rebecca Swain of Salisbury, first married Henry Byley of Salisbury, then John Hall of Salisbury, and next Rev. William Worcester of Salisbury, from whom the Worcesters of this Country are descended. Rev. Samuel Dudley, whose first wife was daughter of John Winthrop Sr., took as his second wife, Mary Byley of Salisbury, who was either brother, or near of kin to Henry Byley, one of the husbands of the much married Rebecca Swain-Byley-Hall-Worcester-Symonds.

“CHUTE, JAMES, Ipswich, son of Lionel, born in England. Married (as once was thought) a daughter of Hon. Samuel Symonds, who names “son” Chute in his will. But the meaning of the testator may have been son or son-in-law of Martha Epes, or another of several wives that Symonds had; for such seems, also, the case of Peter Duncan, called son of Symonds, because he was the husband of Mary, who was daughter of Daniel Epes by that Martha, who after was the wife of Symonds. By his wife whatever was her name of baptism or whoever was her father he had James, and removed 1681, to Rowley.”

As quoted from the Winthrop Papers:

“Samuel Symonds a gentleman of ancient family at Yeldham in Essex, and a cursitor in chancery for that county, [ A cursitor is an officer in the Court of Chancery, whose business is to make out original writs. The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid the slow pace of change and possible harshness (or “inequity”) of the common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over all matters of equity, including trusts, land law, the administration of the estates of lunatics and the guardianship of infants.] He married first, Dorothy, daughter of Thomas Harlakenden of Colne, and had ten children before coming to New England in 1637. His second wife was Martha, daughter of Edmund Reade, and widow of Daniel Epps. He settled in Ipswitch was representative in 1638, an assistant in 1648, and by successive elections for thirty years after. In 1673, he was chosen Deputy-Governor and died in office 12th October, 1678. Felt (“History of Ipswich 161-163) makes honorable mention of him. Pedigree of Symonds in the “Diary of the Marhces of the Royal Armn,” Savag’e Geneal. Dict;Proceedings of Mss. Hist. Soc 1862-63, 254-258. Hugh Peter had married Elizabeth, the widow of Edmund Reade, and the mother of Martha, the second wife of Symonds. ”

The Withthrop Papers published letter from Symonds to Winthrop in 1637. It mentions a land grant of 500 acres in Pequott, which was said to be “at Paquatucke near the Narragansett country.” Samuel requested Winthrop to oversee the laying out of the land and have it registered with the local court, as he was too far away and wished it done as soon as possible

24 Jun 1661 – A Suit brought by Samuel SYMONDS against two servants, William Downing and Philip Welch, seeking release from their involuntary servitude which had exceeded seven years. Kelecrist Ros deposed that “When their master first brought them home, deponent asked William what Philip’s name was and he said it was Philip.” The suit presents a recital of young men who were “stollen in Ireland, by some of ye English soldiers in ye night out of theyr beds,” against their consents, “where there were divers others of their Country men, weeping and crying, because they were stollen from theyr friends.” The suit included a bill of sale dated 10 May 1654 from George Dell, Master of the Ship “Goodfellow,” to Mr. Samuell SYMONDS. Philip, also known as Edward Welch, was one of the 400 Irish children shipped to New England on the “Goodfellow” of Boston, George Dell, Master, on 06 Sep 1653.

Samuel Symonds owned several tracts of land in Ipswich, including two farms, one called “Olivers,” and the other “Argilla.” He also received various extensive grants of land in other parts of New England. One of these was at “Lamper Eele River,” between Dover and Exeter, on which a saw mill was built, and parts of which he deeded to his sons at different times. Part of it came into the possession of Robert Wadleigh, whence came the name “Wadleigh’s Falls.”

6 Nov 1678: Samuel Symonds Will probated.

Bequeathed to wife Rebecca all that belonged to her in England before marriage to him; also ample provision at his farm in Ipswich called Argilla, elsewhere, if she prefer; to sons Harlakenden and William; to son and daughter EPPS, she to have the “damaske sute which was the lady CHEYNIES of she desire”; to daughter Martha and her husband John Denison; to son and daughter Emerson; to daughters Baker and DUNKIN; to son CHUTE; to granddaughter Sarah SYMONDS; to wife’s granddaughter Rebecca Stace; son John Hale one of the overseers. Refers to brother Mr. Richard FITZ SYMONDS, from whom a legacy is expected for son Harlakenden. (3) Mentioned not only his own children, but those of his last two wives by their former husbands: “my dau. DUNKIN,” “my dau. HALE,” “my sonne John HALE,” “my sonne CHEWTE,” “my wives grand dau. Rebeckah STACY” (granddaughter of Rev. Wm. WORCESTER by his first wife).

Children

1. Capt. Daniel Epps

Daniel’s wife Elizabeth Symonds was born 22 Dec 1624 in Earls Colne Toppesfield, Essex, England She was his stepsister and daughter of George Samuel Symonds and Dorothy Harlakenden. Elizabeth died 7 May 1685 in Salem, Essex, Mass.

Daniel’s second wife Lucy Woodbridge 13 Mar 1642 in Newbury, Essex, Mass. She was the youngest daughter of Rev. John Woodbridge and his wife Mercy Dudley, youngest daughter of Governor Thomas Dudley. She first married Rev. Simon Bradstreet, who was also a Governor of Massachusetts. Lucy died 18 Jun 1710 in Medford, Middlesex, Mass.

Mary’s husband Peter Duncan was born Sep 1629 in Exeter, Devon, England. His parents were Nathaniel Duncan and Elizabeth Jourdain. Peter died 6 May 1716 in Gloucester, Essex, Mass.

5. Martha Symonds

Martha’s husband John Denison was born 16 Jan 1640 in Ipswich, Essex, Mass. His parents were Major General Daniel Denison and Patience Dudley, daughter of Thomas Dudley, Second Governor of Massachusetts. John died 9 Jan 1671 in Ipswich, Essex, Mass.

6. Ruth Symonds

Ruth’s husband Rev. John Emerson was born 26 Feb 1625 in Bishops Staffordshire, Hertfordshire, England. His parents were Thomas Emerson and Elizabeth Brewster. John died 2 Dec 1700 in Glouchester, Essex, Mass.

Rev. John Emerson received a call to Gloucester and settled there as Pastor of the First Parish and remained about forty years.

Mr. Emerson was freeman at Ipswich 19 Dec 1648; graduated from Harvard, 1656; was ordained 6 Oct 1663, and settled at Gloucester as the first minister of the town. There he remained till death. In July 1661, his salary was 60 pounds, “in corn, pease, &c.” In addition to his property in Gloucester, which included whole or part of three principal mills, he owned farms in Ipswich, probably inherited from his father. He left his large property to his wife, 40s. to his son, and 20s. to his daughters, “which I do give them in addition to what I have given them already.” He left three farms in Ipswich, on one of which a Mr. Emerson was tenant.

John Emerson was a classmate at Harvard College of Increase and Eleazer Mather. He was one of the four who filled parts at Commencement in 1659, as candidates for a degree. The programme for that day survives.

Goodwife Taylor did say that when she was first apprehended she had no fears upon her. and did think that nothing could have made her confesse against herself : but since she had found to her great grief that she had wronged the truth and falsely accused herself ;

she said that when she was brought to Salem her brother Bridges rode with her and that all along the way from Andover to Salem her brother kept telling her that she must needs be a witch since the afflicted accused her and at her touch were raised out of their fitts and urging her to confess herself a witch. She as constantly told him that she was no witch, that she know nothing of witchcraft and begged of him not to urge her to confesse, however when she came to Salem and was carried to a room where her brother on the one side and Mr. John Emerson on the other did tell her, that she was certainly a witch and that she saw the devil before her eyes at that time and accordingly the said Emerson would attempt with his hand to beathim away from her eyes) and they so urged her to confesse, that she wished herself in any dungeon rather than be so treated. Mr. Emerson told her once and again, well I see you will not confesse ! Well ! I will now leave you, and then you are undone, body and soul forever;

Her brother urged her to confesse and told her in so doing she could not lye. To which she answered Good Brother, do not say so, for I shall lye if I confesse, and then who shall answer unto God for my lye. He still asserted it and said that God would not suffer so many good men to be in such an error, about it. and that she would be hanged, if she did not confesse, and continued so long and so violently to urge and press her to confess that she thought verily her life would have gone from her, and became so terrified in her mind that she owned at length almost anything that they propounded to her;

but she had wronged her conscience in so doing she was guilty of a great sin in belying of herself and desired to mourn for it as long as she lived.”

Mr. Emerson made his will 3 Feb 1697/98. It was probated 23 Dec 1700 and is recorded in Essex (Mass.) Probate Registry, vi., 98.

8. Priscilla Symonds

Priscilla’s husband Thomas Baker was born 18 Sep 1636 in Norwich, Norfolk, England. His parents were John Baker and Elizabeth [__?__]. Thomas died 18 Mar 1718 in Topsfield, Essex, Mass.

Thomas received from his father, in 1662, an estate in Topsfield, Massachusetts, becoming a freeman in 1665(9). He owned also Argilla farm in Ipswich. In 1666 he inherited from his brother-in-law, Obadiah Antrim, of Salem. He was several times a salectman from 1675 to 1700. In 1683 h became a lieutenant of a troop of 48 men, was captain in 1713, and was known as “Major”. He was a church member in 1684 and a member of the General Court for the town in 1683, 1684, 1686, 1690, 1692-4, 1698, and 1708; he was town constabe in 1688.

I’m descended from Elizabeth Epes (daughter of Capt. Daniel Epes) who married Joseph Procter (John Proctor’s great grandson) in 1768.
Where do You and Alex tie in to the Procter and Epes lines ? We may be close cousins.

This Epp coat of arms is copyright of http://www.4crests.com. Please remove it, or at least add a link to our website and remove any advertising to outside companies, such as Ancestry.com…. This amounts to you using my images to collect ad dollars for yourself. Please cease and desist. You have quite a huge number of my graphics on your site at minerdescent.com